Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 29 Jan 1997

Vol. 474 No. 1

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Rory O'Hanlon

Ceist:

20 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Social Welfare the benefits and allowances a person retains when transferring from unemployment assistance to a FÁS scheme, for example fuel allowance, butter vouchers, Christmas bonus and the back to school allowance. [2035/97]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

Where a person has established an entitlement to certain additional benefits while claiming unemployment assistance, the person may retain their benefits for the duration of certain specified FÁS schemes.

The benefits which can be retained while on Community Employment Workplace, Jobstart, and the Part-time Job Opportunities programme are: fuel allowance; smokeless fuel allowance; Christmas bonus; butter vouchers; medical card; rent allowance; diet supplement; heating allowance; back to school clothing and footwear allowance and local authority differential rent. However, secondary benefits are retained by Jobstart participants for an initial 52 weeks, subject to a weekly income limit of £250 which applies to both Jobstart and Community Employment. Persons participating on the Job Initiative scheme do not retain secondary benefits, with the exception of the medical card. Persons on Jobstart and the Job Initiative however are also entitled to claim family income supplement, and the continued child payment scheme under which by long-term unemployed people retain entitlement to child dependent payments for 13 weeks which they take up employment.

Gerard Collins

Ceist:

21 Mr. Collins asked the Minister for Social Welfare the action, if any, he is taking to ensure that social welfare payments which are the responsibility of his Department are made to homeless persons and refugees in the Dublin area; and if he will ensure that appropriate accommodation standards are provided in relation to the operation of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme in the area. [2359/97]

Máirín Quill

Ceist:

38 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Social Welfare the social welfare payments homeless persons are currently entitled to; if he will improve the accessibility of the welfare system to people who are homeless; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2374/97]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

I proposed to take Questions Nos. 21 and 38 together.

I understand that the Deputies are referring to the dispute at the homeless unit of the Eastern Health Board which is located in Charles St. Health Centre, Dublin 1. The Minister of State at the Department of Health announced at the Adjournment of the Dáil on Thursday, 23 January 1997 that the proposals for the resolution of the dispute put forwards by the Eastern Health Board to the workers were accepted and services resumed at Charles Street the same afternoon.

I am confident that the settlement proposals agreed between the Eastern Health Board and the staff will provide and enhanced level of service and the provision of a proper standard of accommodation for the unit. While the dispute was in progress the board instituted an emergency referral service to ensure that the needs of service users continued to be met.

Every person in the State whose means are insufficient to meet his-her needs or the needs of his-her dependants is entitled to payments under the suplementary welfare allowance scheme. This scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by the eight regional health boards.

All homeless persons have the same entitlements as any other Irish citizen under the social welfare system. If they are unemployed but capable of and genuinely seeking work then they can apply for unemployment assistance. While their application is being processed they will be paid interim supplementary welfare allowance. They can also apply for rent supplementation and exceptional needs payments under the supplementary welfare allowance system.

As the supplementary welfare allowance scheme provides entitlement to persons in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs, the presence of a refugee or asylum seeker in the State is sufficient to receive a payment regardless of the legality of status or whether a work permit is held. These persons will have an entitlement to a basis social welfare payment and child benefit where appropriate, and the payment of supplements in relation to rent, clothing, and back to school clothing and footwear, where applicable.

Each health board has a unit of designated community welfare officers to deal with the special needs of homeless persons. This unit which provides emergency accommodation ensures that all homeless persons are properly housed, received the correct rate of rent supplementation, and the appropriate social welfare or health board payments together with medical care.